Resolution of the 2016 Gathering of theConscious Elders Network

We, Elders who have come together for our 2016 Gathering of the Conscious Elders Network, stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in their efforts to protect their sovereignty, water, culture, lifeways, and sacred sites.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and all those who have gathered at the Sacred Stone Camp, are protecting the tribe’s ancestral lands and the Missouri River from the proposed route of the Dakota Access Pipeline. We are encouraged and inspired by the tribal groups’ commitment to non-violence and prayer as means to stand firm for their protection of water and land. We pray for a peaceful resolution that brings forth a new and more equitable chapter for tribal nations, and a just transition towards a carbon-free future.

As Elders we respect and care for the interconnected, interrelated and interdependent community of Life. We advocate for ecological integrity, social, racial and economic justice and peaceful coexistence for all people, for all species, for all time.

As Elders we raise our voices to protect our beautiful Mother Earth for the sake of our children, grandchildren and future generations. We affirm that “water is life” and we are united by our moral call to fight for its protection. We issue a call to all parties to engage in good faith negotiations without violence or threats of retaliation or arrest.

As Elders we feel our moral responsibility to leave a thriving and healthy environment for our descendants. We stand in solidarity with all those on the frontline in the struggle for justice and Earth care.

Therefore, we offer this Resolution, on September 21, 2016 to stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, other tribal nations and indigenous peoples in support of their children, their tribal sovereignty, natural resources, cultural heritage and sacred places.